Acratean Armored Rangers
Background and History On the western part of the Segmentum Pacificus lies the Sector of Acratea. It was settled in late M36 and despite possessing worlds rich in natural resources, for sometime was of little importance to the Imperium. Eventually most of the worlds that hosted valuable resources were settled but a new problem arose. The sector bordered the dreaded Halo Zone, that many heretic and xeno pirates called it's home, and those outlaws took the oppurtunity to raid the Imperial worlds. But due to the sector's isolated location it was mostly devoid of Imperial troops. The solution arrived in the late M37 when the High Lords themselves took action. The Dream Stalkers Astartes Chapter was established upon the planet of Tindalos and the Imperial Guard regiments of the Acratean Armored Rangers were raised from the various worlds of the sector, though their main base of operations was the Tindalos moon Exria. Current Status (999.M41) The most recent and most dangerous engagement that the Acratean Rangers took part in was in Late M40 when their headquarters on Exria fell under an invasion launched by the Halo Zone raiders, backed by a Chaos Warband and it's Cultist Army. Despite taking huge casulties, the Rangers and the Dream Stalkers eventually repulsed the invasion force, wiping out most of it in the process, while the Dream Stalkers launched a counterattack in the Halo Zone. The Acratean Rangers are currently active and taking part in suppresion of the ongoing "Night of the Thousand Rebellions" that is currently plaguing the Pacificus Segmentum. Combat Doctrine Due to their main roles being fighting against the outlaws that plague the Halo Zone, the Acratean Armored Rangers eventually expanded into a rapidly-deployable infantry formation, supported by armored vehicles, gunships and artillery auxillery forces. Their operations usually begin with gathering reconnaissance, sabotaging and eliminating key enemy assets and then deploying in force and purging the enemy. Similar to the Dream Stalkers, the Armored Rangers also function as a Fast Reaction Force, able to deploy it's elements anywhere in the Segmentum in a short amount of time. Commisars assigned to the Acratean Rangers are mostly native to the sector of Acratea and thus have similar gear, principles and ideals. This coupled with the volunteer nature of the Rangers, means that the Commisars are generally less harsh than in the average regiment, though summary executions still happen (though they are generally performed by a firing squad commanded by the Commisar and outside of combat). Recruitment and Training Because the Acratean Armoured Rangers are the main special operations IG force of the Sector of Acratea, any citizen of the sector's worlds is able to enlist and serve as a Ranger. While they aren't the only Imperial Guard force of the sector, the Rangers are a purely volunteer force. After passing a selection process, the candidate is sent to Basic Training, which is supplemented by extra training if the candidate is meant to fulfill a special role in the future. Organization The Rangers number 200,000 officially, though that number fluctuates especially during major campaigns and deployments. They are spread out in 40 Divisions, which are fairly balanced in terms of infantry and auxillery forces, to ensure that they can operate on their own if the need arises. Brigades, however, are either classified as Infantry, Mechanized, Airborne or Auxillery (which can be Artillery or Engineering). Structure *Acratean Armored Rangers Regiment **Division **Brigade **Battalion **Company **Squadron **Squad **Fireteam Notable Divisions: *11th "Exiles" **Earned their (ironic) nickname by being the division stationed on Exria, the main base of operations of the Acratean Armored Rangers. They took part in the operation that brought down the smugglers based on Aeson IV. *33rd "Scalphunters" **Distinguished itself by fighting and successfully destroying a renegade Imperial Guard Regiment that had rebelled and was trying to take advantage of the chaos caused by the Night of a Thousand Rebellions. Equipment Due to the fact that they are the main Imperial force of the Acreatean Sector and their creation was sanctioned by the High Lords themselves, the Acratean Rangers are usually well equipped and supplied, particularly the ones based on Exria and Tindalos. Armor The Rangers are usually equipped with joint pieces of Carapace and Flak Armor, although a few distinguished officers get the honor of wearing power armor. Weapons The Acratean Guardsmen use a variety of weapons suited to different tactical situations. Unique are the Acratea Pattern Autogun and the Felix Pattern Lasgun. *Acratea Pattern Autogun **One of the standard firearms of the Rangers. It is a autogun capable of automatic and semi-automatic fire. It has formidable firepower and accuracy when used against lightly armoured enemies, with different types of rounds (fragmentational, incendiery) providing some much-needed adaptability. It comes with an inbuilt recoil dampener and a rail that allows for attachment of different sights and scopes. *Felix Pattern Lasgun **The Felix Pattern Lasgun is a supposedly modified version of the Triplex Pattern. What makes it stand out is that allows the user to select the power of the shot (with limitations ofcourse) allowing for powerful shots that quickly burn through the ammo cell, or weak shots that compensate for shortage of ammo. It is the most widely used firearm amongst the units of the AAR. *Locke Pattern Bolter **The Locke Pattern Bolter is a modified bolter that allows it's use by unaugmented humans. It is extremely rare withing the ranks of the Rangers with the precious few bolters usually kept in armory unless the need for their use arises. Close-Combat Weapons While the Rangers aren't known for their close combat prowess, they are equipped with the tools needed to defend themselves (or even attack) in melee combat. The Serrated-Edge Dagger is standard gear for every Ranger, while the Sargeants often receive a Chain-weapon as well. Weapons with a Powered blade are sometimes deployed among the officers of high rank. Vehicles The Infantry divisions make heavy use of the Tauros utility vehicles and Sentinel walkers, while the Mechanized divisions have the heavier Chimera APC for transport and fire-support. The main source of fire power for the Artillery divisions comes from Manticore launcher tanks. Allies/Ties The Acratean Armored Rangers have a connection to the Dream Stalkers Astartes due to the fact that they are frequently deployed together and fought together during the Battle for Exria. Close ties also exist between the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Acratean Armored Rangers, with the Rangers serving as extra security details for Mechanicum worlds and Exploratory Expeditions, and the Mechanicum supplying them with modified gear. Enemies The most common foe that the Rangers face are the various bands of pirates and heretics and use inhabit the Halo Stars and launch raids into Imperial Space. Quotes By: "Acratea's alright... if you like fighting." -- Lieutenant Harris to a Guardsmen from another sector About: (Feel free to add your own) Category:Imperium Category:Imperial Guard